Version History
=Alpha= Alpha 1 The first major public release of Prison Architect. Release Video: Release Date:'' September 25, 2012 Alpha 2 The first major feature of this new build is the Deployment screen. This shows you a security schematic of your prison and allows you to assign guards to each of your sectors, and to set patrols for them to walk along. This makes locking down your prison a lot easier! We've also fixed a bunch of bugs and introduced an option when creating a new prison which lets you restrict the incoming rate of prisoners so they don't overwhelm you. Rather than receiving a random number every day you will only receive prisoners when you have space. Release Video: ''Release Date: October 18, 2012 Alpha 3 For this update we've focussed on a new system called Fog Of War, which changes the game in a number of ways. Internally we refer to this as the Visibility system, because you now lose visibility of the indoor areas of your jail gradually over time. Your guards are the only staff members who can "unveil" the hidden areas, and if you lose visibility of an area you have no idea what sort of things are going on there. This ties in very closely to the Alpha 2 update, because you now have to use Deployment and Patrols to create pathways for your guards to walk along to ensure your entire jail remains fully visible at all times. Release Video: Release Date:'' November 1, 2012 Alpha 4 The key change in this version is an overhaul of the Fog Of War system, in response to community feedback. Almost immediately after launching Alpha 3 we began to hear from alpha users that the rooftop style fog-of-war (which blocks out the view of the insides of your prison unless you have Guards watching the area) was annoying because it stopped you from building things - you just couldn't see what you were doing. Release Video: ''Release Date:'' November 19, 2012 Alpha 5 This new build has a number of new features ranging from totally new cool stuff to some pretty massive improvements to existing tools. We have new "Staff Only" zones, which Prisoners are not permitted to enter. We have the first emergency service callout - the Fireman - which means you no longer need to watch your prison burn to the ground without being able to do anything about it. And we've massively improved the Foundations tool so it’s much more intuitive and intelligent to use. Release Video: ''Release Date:'' December 14, 2012 Alpha 6 Alpha 6 introduces prisoner risk categories with coloured uniforms to reflect this. Prisoners now have a criminal history and are classified according to perceived risk, however this is an ESTIMATE and may not be accurate - you'll still need to keep a close eye on the little darlings! We've also adjusted the prisoner intake settings to allow even more customisation of the game. Release Video: ''Release Date: January 30, 2013 Alpha 7 We've fulfilled the name in game and face in game tiers so some prisoners are now personalised. Guards are now the only characters that can open doors. This sounds small, but makes a massive difference to the gameplay. You now have to think a lot more about how many guards to use and where to deploy them. There's also a graphics option menu that should keep a lot of you happy! Release Video: Release Date:'' February 21, 2013 Alpha 8 Somehow we've achieved the impossible and convinced Valve to Launch the PA Alpha on Steam! We took this opportunity to make a really solid build and fixed 100s of bugs. You'll always be able to update your build from here, but if you prefer you can activate your copy of PA on Steam and get automatic updates. To get your steam key just follow the link in the email used when you bought the game. Release Video: ''Release Date:'' March 20, 2013 Alpha 9 Central to the new version is the concept of Prisoner Employment, and we've been planning this feature for a long time. Prisoners can now perform a variety of jobs around the prison, saving you money on staff and raising money for you by selling goods manufactured by your work force. Prisoners can work in the kitchen, they can clean the prison, and they can work in the laundry and the workshop, both of which are new in Alpha 9. They can also take visits from family members in the new visitation. Release Video: ''Release Date: April 24, 2013 Alpha 10 LINUX BUILD NOW AVAILABLE! Steam customers can now publish or subscribe to the best prisons from the Architect community. A new danger model improves the realty of riots occurring, and when they do you can brutally oppress the inmates using riot cops with massive batons! The Laundry can now also be equipped with an Ironboard to flatten the wrinkeld uniforms. Release Video: Release Date:'' May 30, 2013 Alpha 11 BRING OUT YOUR DEAD! Alpha 11 brings a host of new features, bug fixes and improvements, not least of which is hearses to take away the unfortunately deceased. Purchase of neighbouring plots of land is now possible. We've also added a TimeLapse video capture system so that you can film the construction of your prisons. Get recording, we can't wait to see your videos! Release Video: ''Release Date:'' June 28, 2013 Alpha 12 Drugs. Booze. Weapons. This alpha is all about contraband. Steal weapons and tools from the workshop, drugs from sick bay or Whisky and Smokes from the Warden's office. Search a prisoner, a cell, or order a whole prison shakedown and find out who's got what and from whence it came. Careful though, too many unwarranted searches will result in a riot… Release Video: ''Release Date:'' July 31, 2013 Alpha 13 Dig Dig Dig! This one's all about tunneling. Given a spoon or any other tool-esque item and they'll start from their toilets and keep on digging until they're outside the perimeter. You can find them by searching the prisoner or cell, but it may be worth moving those maxsec blocks a little further from the edge of your prisons..... We've also produced a punishment policy table where you can decide the appropriate reaction to an infraction. 2 weeks in the slammer for moaning about the chow? Tough, but don't let us stop you… Release Video: ''Release Date:'' August 29, 2013 Alpha 14 Do ya like Dawgs? This time around it's all about those furry little sniffing machines - man's best friend. UNLESS you are a dirty prisoner six feet beneath the ground trying to shawshank your way to freedom. Dogs sniff out contraband and tunnels, and should one of your prisoners make a break for it, the handlers will send up a loud cry of "release the hounds" and the dogs will chase down and jump on anyone who shouldn't really be sprinting toward the front gate. They come at a price though - you need a kennel and handlers and they run out of energy pretty quickly so you need to make sure you have enough to do the job. We've also included some pretty punchy performance enhancements in A14. Enjoy it, Chris' wife is birthing another nipper so it's all you're going to get until December! Release Video: ''Release Date:'' October 2, 2013 Alpha 15 Introversion Software proudly presents ... someone else's work! We've crafted a fully functioning modding system to make it much easier to use the mods that have been created from some of the exceptionally talented people in the community. We've also coded a staff fatigue model that means you'll need to install some common rooms so your guards can recharge their batteries, and our resident guru Johnny, has done some awesome performance enhancements that'll massively improve the size of the prisons that your rig can cope with. Release Video: ''Release Date: November 29, 2013 Alpha 16 T'was the night after Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring, except for the four riot guards coming in standard 2x2 cover formation through the rear. This update brings you the ability to share the mods through steamworks, segregate whole sections of your prison to be min / max sec and customize the sprite to go with your name in the game entry! Release Video: Release Date: December 27, 2013 Alpha 17 Hoo-Rar. This time we've got bad ass mo-fos with boom sticks. You've asked for them and we have answered the call and delivered shot-gun toting armed guards. These guys are excellent for suppressing your prisoners more raucous behaviors. Stick a couple of these dudes in the canteen or the yard and things'll calm right down. Useful they just wander around looking tough, but hit that weapons free button and things'll get messy - you'll lose so many prisoners that it'll be a game-over event, but don't let that stop you blowing off some steam. Release Video: Release Date: January 31, 2014 Alpha 18 We've implemented a job-lot of new reform / rehabilitation programs - send them to the doc for some much needed head-shrinking or pop them into a foundation education class and teach them to read. Send them off to the kitchen for a crash course in bun baking or give them the skills to produce beautifully crafted wooden beds. Ahh, the sweet sound of the pitter patter of fresh reformed prisoners...... Release Video: Release Date: February 28, 2014 Alpha 19 Balance sheets, Cash-flow, P&L, Shares. This month it's all about the greenback. Right from Alpha 1 the finance system has been broken - there's never enough money to do what you want to do, when you want to do it. Well, no more. We've introduced more grants, bank loans and the selling of shares in your prison to raise more funds. The mid game is now much more directed and focussed and really changes the way PA is played. Please let us know what you think! Release Video: Release Date: March 27, 2014 Alpha 20 You've all had it too easy for too long. Sitting there, building your prisons, not caring about deaths or insolvency. Well NO MORE! We've introduced failure conditions and now, if you f**K up it's game over. We've also graded all prisoners on four scales: Punishment, Reform, Security and Health. You can check these out in the rap sheet and when summed over the whole prison you end up with a score. Lefty-liberal reformist paradise or super-right super-max super bad ass punishment amplifier - you go ahead and max those stats. The Punishment Inspector shall be pleased. Release Video: Release Date: April 29, 2014 Alpha 21 I want to get High, so High. Prison life can be tough so who can blame a fella for seeking out a little chemical relief from the strain of daily life? Well, you probably, when you have to start dealing with medical emergencies and violence as the junkies fight over the final wrap. Drug abuse is a tough issue to get right and this is only our first pass. Even so, maybe you can get those methadone programs working and clean up your jail? Release Video: Release Date: May 30, 2014 Alpha 22 Faster, sleeker and less frustrating: All 5 programmers coded their way through 18 days of bug stomping effort and managed to kill 73 major bugs and resolve over 1600 duplicate issues. Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you: A less buggy version of Alpha 21. Release Video: Release Date:' ''June 27, 2014 Alpha 23 Complete overhaul of CCTV system. New: Remote access door control system. Advanced feature addition: Logic Circuits. And now even more drugs and weapons with new contraband smuggling routes. New type of misconduct (intoxication). Utility modes now filter based on type selected. Improved tooltips. ToDo list can now be minimized and fences are no longer free. Details available here: Developer Blog Alpha 23 ''Release Video: ''Release Date: July 31, 2014 Alpha 24 Shush, you ain't seen me, right? Get me out of this hole and I'll tell you what you want to know..... We've introduced Confidential Informants - Snitches - these guys can help you to root out all the nasties, but be careful, over use them and their fellow prisoners will figure it our and juck 'em. We've also mad a giant leap in the mod system - we've made it super easy to mod you own stuff into the game, from churches to ice rinks, if you want it in PA, someone will make it! No longer are there 4 developers working on the game, now it's more like half a million...... ''Release Video: ''Release Date: ''August 29, 2014 Alpha 25 You've had it too easy for too long... We've heard tales of stable prisons that run themselves overnight and we've decided that no self-respecting strategy game should be this easy. We've introduced new prisoner "reputations" that mean they're not just going to sit still because their needs are met. N, these boys are going to mess things up! Tazer power has been reduced, guards need to attend training classes and prisoners have remembered how to build escape tunnels again. This game just got a whole lot harder... Release Video: ''Release Date: ''September 25, 2014 Alpha 26 It's another bug bash! We've spent the month slogging our way through the bug database and fixing the highest priority issues to being you a slicker, faster, better, less buggy Prison Architect. But that's not all - NOT ONLY have we fixed 39 issues and resolved 550 duplicates, we also present a brand new feature! Tell your mates, put it on Facebook, set Twitter on fire, let the world know that Prison Architect now comes with a digital clock. Release Video: ''Release Date: ''October 30, 2014 Alpha 27 Quantum tunneling and food delivery do not play well together - that's what we have learnt from your feedback last month, so we've been busting our balls to fix our food system and we've finally fixed it (we hope). From now on PA will map prisoners and kitchens onto specific Canteens, but when the AI gets it wrong you can make changes. We've taken the same approach with scheduling reform classes - the AI'll have a bash at putting the right classes, in the right rooms at the right times - but you can open the scheduler and schedule to your heart's content. Finally we've added a "flag bio" button - if you find one of the bios grossly offensive, you can hit the button and we'll get notified about your concern. Release Video: ''Release Date: ''November 28, 2014 Alpha 28 Merry Christmas Everyone! It's a shorter month before we all head off to sit around trees and open presents in front of roaring fires, but we've still got one last great update for 2014. We've improved the interface, implemented time-based scheduling for your deployments and added a pied piper moving toilet that suppresses prisoners - enjoy! Release Video: ''Release Date: ''December 18, 2014 Alpha 29 We're closing in on the end game now and we've conquered one of the big last hurdles - Parole. Build a parole room, set a schedule and let the Warden, Chief and Lawyer battle over a prisoners future. Get it right, get a little bonus; get it wrong and be slammed with a fiscal penalty for your lefty liberal softly-softly touchy-feely weak on crime, weak on the causes of crime attitude. We've also brought in Libraries and Places of Worship - Enjoy! Release Video: ''Release Date: January 30, 2015 Alpha 30 Introversion Software Proudly Presents: Prison Utility Tangled Wire Simulator. We've mostly been focussed on the tablet version of Prison Architect (stand by for another mail calling for testers soon), but we haven't neglected our desktop players. We've passed control of prisoner intake back to the player and adjusted the budgets a bit to balance things out. Parole is a lot more sensible and you can no longer murder prisoners by starving them to death in solitary - enjoy! ''Release Video: '''''Release Date: February 27, 2015 Alpha 31 Deathrow has finally been implemented. Be careful to follow due process to avoid heavy fines! Also, cut down on contraband with the new reception room. Release Video: Release Date: March 27, 2015 Alpha 32 We will launch in Q4 2015. We've spent the last month spitting and polishing and have broken our previous bugbash record with over 130 issues fixed. On the plus side the game is less buggy and plays better, but the downside is that I've got nothing to write about here so I though't I'd firm up the launch date for ya! Release Video: Release Date: April 30, 2015 Alpha 33 Turn away from the dark side... In the last month's video we discovered a prison that was so horrible that it gave Chris nightmares. Feeling sorry for the little orange-clothed yardbirds, he invented a whole new system of privileges. Bigger cells, tellys, radios, etc.. All make prisoners happier and less likely to kick off. Go on - go easy on them for a bit. ''Release Video: ''Release Date: May 28, 2015 Alpha 34 Gangs are coming to a prison near you! We also have a shop that sells prison goods and proper Asian font support for further translations. Release Video: Release Date: June 30, 2015 Alpha 35 Bored of a lifestyle of plentiful holidays and late night boozing sessions with Mark, Chris has decided to put everyone under pressure and commit to a launch in October of this year. Release Video: Release Date: July 30, 2015 Alpha 36 Following our announcement that we are launching Prison Architect in October, this is your last ever Alpha update video. Almost. Chris and Mark will be on stage at EGX in Birmingham, UK at 2pm on 26 September doing a LIVE V1 launch video! I know it's a sad time, but you can wipe away your tears and checkout our new random event system which introduces a ton of chaos to mess up your smooth-running prisons. Release Video: Release Date: August 28, 2015 =Final Releases= Version 1 Thank-you. It's taken us five years of development and three years in early access, but we have made it. Introversion Software in conjunction with every single gamer who joined in our alpha is proud to present Prison Architect V1.0 V1 contains a ton of bug fixes, escape mode, story mode, multiple languages, customisable wardens, achievements and a ton of other stuff to get you back in the warden's chair. You helped made this happen - take a moment to think about that ;) Release Video: Release Date: October 6, 2015 Update 1 We're back! Mark and Chris talk about their feelings, before taking a look at update 1. Tweaks to escape mode, fine grain control over prisoner intake and most importantly multiple occupancy cells and BUNK BEDS! Release Video: Release Date: November 13, 2015 Update 2 For the last update of 2015 we've introduced women into prison. Their needs are subtly different, but the biggest issue you'll face is what to do if a mother turns up with a babe in arms... Merry Christmas; thanks for an incredible 2015 and all the best for 2016 from Mark, Chris and the rest of the Introversion Software team. Release Video: Release Date: December 18, 2015 Update 3 There's nothing more likely to stop you in your tracks than the sound of a sniper bullet screaming a few meters from your head. That'll be the warning shot, fired from the sniper in the tower, to stop an escape in it's tracks. Installing guard towers will certainly increase the security of your prison, but it won't do much for the psychological well-being of your prisoners - how would you feel if a bloke with a gun was watching you all day? Want more tyranny? You can dehuminise visitation by building glass booths and phones. Prevent the hand-holding and all that business - prevents the drugs being smuggled too. Your prison, your rules... Release Video: Release Date: January 27, 2016 Update 4 This month we've returned to our boffin-like roots and implemented a thermodynamic model. When the sun sets over the outer fence and the shadow of the sniper grows longer over the exercise yard, the temperature will begin to drop. Heat sources like the kitchen and radiators will keep things warm for a while, but the cold will start creeping through those thin cell walls. Next comes Quick Build. Stolen straight from the console build comes the ability to stamp down whole cells and offices, This should make things a whole lot quicker and a bit less "grindy". We've also packaged up some of the coolest prisons we could find so if you don't use steam, or your connection drops you still have something to play with. Along the same lines you can now filter the most popular steam prisons in game and tinker with the most popular penetentiaries on the workshop. Release Video: Release Date: March 4, 2016 Update 5 You spoke, we listened. After a month of tweaking, tuning, tightening and teasing we have managed to stuff even more frames into every unforgiving second. We've made significant performance gains so everyone should enjoy a smoother experience, but bear with us - we've got another month of speed updates to keep us busy over Easter. Following our temperature work last month, Gary has updated the utilities mode to have a new hot water system and if you watch the vid we reveal all about Secret 3D Mode... Release Video: Release Date: March 24, 2016 Update 6 Enjoy a new method to prioritise jobs and get to grips with weather systems and flooding. We’ve also continued with our performance work so it should run even smoother than a Baby’s bottom. Release Video: Release Date: April 29, 2016 Update 7 No new content this month, just a shit ton of bug fixes. Amazingly, the boys fixed more bugs then there are grains of sand on Brighton beach. Fact! Watch the video to learn about 2.0 Release Video: Release Date: May 27, 2016 Update 8 (V2 preview) This is a preview build of the v2.0 features that we are properly launching next month. There may be a couple of bugs and glitches in this bad boy so only dl if you are proper brave... Release Video: Release Date: July 27, 2016 Update 9 (Version 2.0) Build and Manage a Maximum Security Prison. Release Video: Release Date: August 26, 2016 Update 10 (Version 2.0.1) Build and Manage a Maximum Security Prison. Release Video: Release Date: October 3, 2016 Update 11 This frosty December, we give you guard needs: no longer can you treat your hard working prison officers as robot gaolers. They're going to need their own toilet and canteen and your staff room is about to get a whole lot busier... Failure to look after their needs will result in a whole gamut of industrial accident that's going to have a very bad effect on the welfare of your prison. Release Video: Release Date: December 20, 2016 Update 12 Fingerless gloves, barrels of fire, placards and picket lines - all signs of a jolly good protest. Democracy is a wonderful thing, unless of course the protest is by your staff who are sick of the tyrannical regime and demand fair pay for a hard days work. We've beefed up the guards need system to include all staff - work them too hard, pay them too little, or expose them to too much danger and their morale will start to drop. Eventually they'll give up on you and walk out. And I wouldn't want to be the boss of a maxsec prison when all the staff walk out... Release Video: Release Date: June 22, 2017 Update 13 Feeling brave? Switch to Warden mode, turn on perma-death and architect your prison from the ground. Stroll through the exercise yards and canteens, clipboard in hand, marking up modifications and future plans. Experience your prison from a prisoner's perspective and develop a whole new appreciation of your hell hole - oh and you may want to enlist a guard or two to offer you some protection - not all of those jail birds hold you in high esteem... Release Video: Release Date: December 19, 2017 Update 14 Prisoners now steal uniforms from the laundry and stitch them together to make rope. Now what's a prisoner going to do with rope.... You also get graphs, updated mod support, thousands of bug fixes and roll call, but sadly no doughnuts or moustaches (yet). Release Video: Release Date: June 22, 2018 Update 15 More escape plan behaviours. Watch out where you allow trees to grow because prisoners can now climb them to hop over walls and fences. Keep your prisoners away from the road because the bold can now 'jack the supply trucks. Road barriers and barbed wire might help, but have the medics on standby just in case... Release Video: 'None' Release Date: August 3, 2018 Update 16 (Multiplayer Alpha 1) It's Prison Architect, with your mates! Get our buddies together into one big mass, co-op prison building love-in. Beware, it's in alpha again, so you may hit some snags....... Access on the Steam "beta" branch. Library | Prison Architect | Properties | Betas | beta. Release Video: Release Date: September 4, 2018 Update 17 (Multiplayer Version 1) All sandbox features now unlocked for multiplayer. Release Video: Release Date: December 19, 2018 Category:Version History